Born at Oxford Mills, Ontario on 26 March 1840, he came to Manitoba in 1882 and settled at Brandon where he established the Assiniboine Lumber Company. He was prominent in the organization of the Brandon Exhibition and was for some years chairman of the Brandon School Board. In 1887, he ran as a Liberal candidate to the federal parliament, for the Selkirk constituency, but was defeated by Thomas M. Daly. He and his family moved to British Columbia sometime between 1891 and 1901. He died at Vancouver on 28 November 1920.